Chris Biddle The Hall 4 New Street Salisbury Wilts SP2 8JE Ph: 01722 432615 Email Us
CURRENT ISSUE
TURF PRO AND SERVICE DEALER
Two great magazines now together
NOVEMBER 2012
FEATURES :
SURVIVING THE RECESSION: Views from golf course managers, public sector and suppliers
BEST OF BRITISH: Dennis and Sisis, two British brands now together FEATURE: Winter maintenance programme DEALER PROFILE: Longham Garden Machinery, winner of the 2012 Marketing Award COURSE REVIEW: Trump International, winner of 2012 Best New Venue Award ON TEST:Makita brush cutters CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE Scott MacCallum Chris Biddle James De Havilland Jane McPherson and of course . . Jim Green
The November issue of Turf Pro/Service Dealer is being published w/c 12 November
BRANDS THAT MEAN SOMETHING Evolving history of companies like Ransomes and Briggs & Stratton fascinate us
ONE of the fascinations of industry life back in the 1990s was to track the fortunes of Ransomes as the company went through endless traumas. For a while the company appeared to be a basket case, its shares virtually worthless. History now records that it emerged from those dark times and today, although a very different company, it's brand is still as strong as ever.
Why did we care? Because it was one of ours. A cornerstone of our industry, part of our heritage. We felt involved. And the same can be said for Briggs & Stratton.
Although its roots are in the US, Briggs has always been close to the heart of the UK outdoor power industry. Those at the top made frequent trips over here, many personal friendships were forged.
But the industry changed, competition from the Far East intensified, as did legislation. This change in the market impacted severely on other US based engine makers and rivals, notably Tecumseh. Some years ago, the B&S realised that reliance on their core market of manufacturing small petrol engines was never going to be enough. Despite Fred Stratton once saying that they would ‘never enter the OEM’ market, they did just that acquiring US popular brands such as Snapper and Simplicity.
At the same time, they started to eye up the generator market - and purchased the portable power range from Generac, a near neighbour in Wisconsin.
Again this market, had been under threat from manufacturers in the Far East, but the point with generators is that nobody buys until they have to. But when they have to, they want them fast. Nothing could illustrate that better than the impact of Hurricane Sandy. Generator supppliers were cleaned out in hours.
But there is a longer term opportunity. One of the rising stars of the US stock market is Generac. Having sold its portable generator line to Briggs & Stratton in 1998, it was able re-introduce its own portable products again in 2008 after a non-competing clause expired.
As you can imagine, more and more US homeowners are now considering installing permanent home generator sets in the wake of recent severe weather. Currently, 1.25 million US homes have full standby power sets, that is 2.5% of the 50 million home in the US - and according to the Wall Street Journal, this market is growing at a rate of over 17% a year.
Not only that, 90% of the permanent home generator market is supplied by three manufacturers, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler - and Generac which has 70% of the market!
No wonder that Briggs & Stratton is splashing out $60 million to buy a rival Brazilian generator supplier, they certainly don’t want it for its range of lawn and garden products.
It’s a fascinating evolving story. Again we will them to succeed because of past links. We accept that Briggs & Stratton might not be the same as it was in yesteryear, but we still want brands that have substance, that mean something - and that are not just labels sold on to fool unsuspecting consumers
The 2013 Event Planner in a new, larger size, will once again contain dates of all the national and international industry shows and events. Published with the December issue of Turf Pro/Service Dealer TO ADVERTISE GEORGE MILLER E-mail or 020 3603 7936
